"You've straightened your hair. It looks pretty." George commented when Iris finally emerged from the bedroom they had been sharing in his flat for a few weeks now. Sure she had initially refused to move in with him in his current flat but she had eventually let up and moved the final belongings of her own into the one bedroom that the pair of them used. George had been pottering about whilst she had been getting ready for the last 40 minutes or so wondering what was taking her longer than usual to get ready. And his questions had been answered. 

"Thanks. Forgot how long it took. Not sure it's worth it." Iris mumbled as her fingers moved through the bottom of her now straight hair. Sure for now it felt nice and it looked good in the mirror but the heat damage to her hair was probably not really worth it. 

"You look stunning. It's a nice change." George commented as he moved to gently twirl one of the strands through his own fingers. It was the first time he had seen her without her natural curls and like he had mentioned it was a nice change. He knew that at this point, he was so far gone that it would not matter what Iris really looked like he would still be head over heels for her. 

He passed her the mug of tea that had been brewing for probably a little too long at this point. But nevertheless was still warm enough to drink, and would probably be the temperature that Iris would actually drink it at. Iris only gave him a nod in response getting the note he was passing to her, drink up we have somewhere to be today. And that they really did. Though they had book no exact time to go, George could only get so much time away from the shop in order to do anything really during the day. Lee had been nice enough to allow them to have most of the morning off admitting that he had been working there since the beginning and therefore could be trusted to run the shop front whilst the pair of them finally checked off the thing that George had been avoiding doing for so long. 

At first Lee had mentioned leaving the shop in the hands of their two female staff members to run for the morning so the two boys could go together. That was before George admitted that he really needed to do this alone first. Iris was only going for a little bit of emotional support. George would be the only one going all the way, Iris would stop a few feet beforehand and wait for him to be done. Lee did not argue against this knowing it was something George needed to do and therefore volunteered to stay behind at the shop so that George could take as long as he needed, with no rush to be back staying away for the day if needed. Only George wanted to be back for the afternoon. 

"Can't believe you're dressing up for this."

"And you haven't?" Iris responded motioning at George's rather extravagant looking green top. A top which matched the newly coloured hair he was sporting. This dye was more temporary than the others, supposedly, currently being a new product the man was working on for the shop. Having rather enjoyed the idea of just changing his hair so easily he was starting to make a product to match the idea of making it more easy. 

"Okay so I'm only doing it because I know Fred likes the dramatics. He would be appalled if I didn't make an event out of visiting him." George shrugged before he looked at Iris more deeply. "What's your excuse?"

"Dressing to impress my future brother in law, what else?" Iris shrugged as she responded watching George's face light up. Today might have been a big hurdle and he was going to be upset for most of it, but he took a moment to realise just how Iris spoke. How she treated Fred like he had always hoped his partners would, and even though Fred was not here she was still acting as if he was. 

"He's going to love it."

"Fuck yeah he is. The amount of effort I put in he better." Iris grumbled as the pair got the final bits together to leave the flat. 

Ideally, the pair would have go via the floo system to the Burrow and then made the small distance journey from there to the site where the family had laid Fred to rest. However, the biggest part of today was George venturing there alone, and for him to feel comfortable doing this meant that he did not let his family know what he was doing. That included avoiding the family home knowing that some of them would be around as they would always be. After all Ron had just recently dropped out of the Auror training programme and was reported to be bumming around back home whilst he worked out what he wanted to do next. Therefore the two intended to just Apparate to the site straight away cutting out any middle man. And that was the benefit of being so deep into the countryside in Devon the solitude. Allowing for the direct shows of magic to not affect any of the muggles that surrounded the area. 

The landing was a little more rough than Iris was expecting, the ground not as flat either. She wondered what George was expecting when he landed for she watched his stumble around a little as he landed. She was not certain how well he was going to do considering he had only ever been to this location once. But she knew, just like she had known, that he could tell exactly where Fred was. There was something about being the only remaining twin that meant you had this incredible sense of where your twin was eternally located. 

George slowly walked to the entrance of the incredibly small cemetery and Iris followed just a step behind him. He paused at the entrance almost as if it was physically impossible to take another step further. As if it pained him to do so. And that was because it was, stepping foot over that threshold was just a reminder as to just how much had changed, just what was real. Iris slowly walked to him placing her hand on his arm as silent support at first. Yet the longer they stood there, the more she knew he needed just a little more than her touch to give him the support. 

"It's okay George take as long as you need. We are in no rush. And we can always come back another day if it's just too early." Iris spoke gently. She was aware that whilst for her there was something relieving in going to see her sister like she was able to imagine her sister present. That things were different for George, that he associated the visiting of his brother with the acceptance of him being gone. And they had different opinions and outlooks to things. And that was okay she was there to help him. 

"I'm going to see him today. I want to see him. But it's so hard to step foot inside. How stupid is that?" George was getting frustrated with himself, Iris could see that and she felt for him. 

"Just another hurdle we have to cross together George. Do you want me to go first?" Iris offered and she found him agreeing with her option once again. 

"If you wouldn't mind." 

"Never." Iris stepped into the cemetery first holding her hand out for George to take. She did not rush him to take it either standing patiently for him to make his mind up. To come to a decision regarding whether he wanted to come or not. What might have been only a few minutes later but felt like an eternity to George he finally took the step required to take a hold of Iris' hand. And he let out a sigh as he finally entered the place he had been dreading. 

"We go at your pace okay?" Iris directed watching as George's eyes tracked the entire site they had entered. It was much smaller than the one in Nottingham and it was clear that it served only a small community. It would only take them a few minutes to approach the right grave and therefore, if George needed longer it was not like they were going to disturb someone by getting in the way. It was peaceful, and despite holding many sad and tragic stories and memories it was the peace that was conjured in knowing that any suffering was over that made it clear why people would feel comfortable in laying their loved ones to rest here. 

George did not answer Iris this time instead slowly walking over to the left hand side and in the direction of the second row. It was towards the back of the entrance the pair had come in from that he was pulling her. And Iris allowed him to pull her whichever direction he wanted to, only scanning the surrounding areas to see if there was anyone else present of which they would be interrupting the mourning of. 

"This is him." George noted and Iris looked down towards the headstone which stood at the top of the plot. 

'Fred Weasley

01.04.1978 - 02.05.1998

Mischief' 

Iris could clearly see where the quote was unfinished, and she knew that the plot beside had automatically been reserved for the man stood next to her so they could complete the quote. 

She went to take a couple of steps back to allow George the time to be around his brother alone, like they had discussed she was stopped before she could even start to make the first step. George's grip on her hand increased ten fold as he sensed her intent to take a step backwards. No words were spoken but she understood, George couldn't be alone like he thought he could be. 

"Shit Freddie." George's words were so quiet that Iris nearly missed them. And as he took his free hand to rub at his face and the tears that fell, Iris reached into the bag she had slung over her shoulders just before they left that morning. Pulling out a handkerchief she handed it over.

"Thanks love." He mumbled towards her before returning his attention to staring at the headstone. The pair continued to stand in silence, George not saying anything else only taking the time to be at one with his feelings. And Iris allowed him to have this time. To use this to mourn and to heal. The two things he needed more than anything else right now. They continued to stand there for what was most likely three quarters of an hour. Neither saying a thing, neither moving. The silence communicating everything that George wished to say to his brother.

Eventually George moved forwards, letting go of Iris' hand in that moment. He walked around the side of the plot before reaching the headstone more than aware what was underneath. Upon reaching the headstone he moved his nimble and shaking hands out to gently run along the top of the curved stone. 

"I'll come and see you soon Freddie." 

He turned back to Iris before taking long strides back over to her side. He drew Iris into his arms the second he was stood in front of her and she felt as he let the tears fall as a few landed clearly on her coat. Iris sneaked her arms out from where he had trapped them at her sides to gently start running them down his back hoping to provide a little bit of comfort. 

"Can we leave?" George's words were as muffled as they had been since they had arrived and Iris felt her heart pang for him. She knew it was going to be a hard day for him and this big step he had taken without even realising was hard but a step in the right direction. A step towards healing just a little more. 

"Of course we can baby. You holding on tight?" Iris agreed instantly and as George nodded against her shoulder Iris apparatus them away. The familiar popping sound being the last remnants of them being present in the cemetery. That and the fake wand that Iris had insisted they bring along with them to leave for him.